Hardest of Hearts
by BangCrunch
Summary: Vulnerability was never one of Dean's strong points.  Dean/Cas


**Author's Note: First Fic in FOREVER. First Destiel Fic. Love me some angst. [: Enjoy**

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><p>Dean's slender hands run smoothly through his dirty blonde hair as he takes a long deep breath. He comes to the realization that the rain is not letting up anytime soon. He heaves himself up from the trunk of the tree and departs his leafy shelter.<p>

As Dean walks the unfamiliar streets of Tallahassee he passes by hoards of drunken college students as well as an aggregation of rowdy vagrants all screaming but not at each other, but rather themselves. He starts to chuckle at the antics of the homeless but suddenly feels stricken with guilt. He becomes aware of the plight of the people; the mental warfare they go through every day.

He swears under his breath, "Damn you Cas, you and your stupid emotional, sappy shit is wearing off on me."

Dean can feel his clothes slowly get heavier and he is starting to shiver. He briefly considers carrying himself back to the hotel. He shakes his head fervently. He refuses to go back to see his aftermath, not this soon. He didn't have it in him to go back and face Cas, not the way he left him. As if a sign from God, Dean walks up to a cluster of college bars all blasting techno and dubstep. His face twists into a somewhat painful expression weighing the pros and cons. He his need for intoxication prevails. He opens the door to the nearest bar and is greeted by what appears to be a half naked hooker puking in the door way. He slams the door and makes his way back into the pouring rain.

Dean's face explodes with happiness for a split second. He sees a bar sign that says Poor Paul's Pourhouse.

"Now THAT looks like my kinda bar."

The stench of the bar hit Dean like a kick to the nuts. Dean felt at home. He even had the urge to go hustle some pool. Instead he makes a beeline for the bar. The bartender slowly walked over and barked, "What do you want, boy?"

"Give me the strongest drink you got and bring me two." Dean has always wanted to say that but always felt to tacky, tonight he just didn't care.

After a dozen or so shots of the clear syrupy liquid, Dean beckons the bartender over and drunkenly asks, "Why the FUCK is it called the Sunshine State when all it does is fucking rain? This is fucking false advertisement. I should sue. I will sue. WHERE IS YOUR MANAGER?" As Dean's voice escalates two men who look like they could bench press about 5 of Dean approach him with some serious evil eyes.

Dean tries to stand and staggers towards the menacing men, "Whaddaya lookin' at, big boy? Don't you know not to mess with Batman?"

Dean's head hits the asphalt outside the bar with an audible thud and blood starts trickling down his temple. He quickly smears it and swears under his breath. He faintly recalls the direction to go to get back to his hotel. He takes about six steps down the road before falling on his knees. His head is pounding and his vision is blurred. Dizzy, disoriented, and obviously too drunk to walk Dean turns and sits on the sidewalk, metal fencing hold him up. He struggles to regain composure but the sound of rain lulled him to sleep.

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><p>Cas kneels on one knee in front of Dean and frantically checking for a pulse. Dean stirs at Cas' touch and opens his eyes to see a very frustrated Cas.<p>

"Cas, why are your panties in such a wad? I mean, I could always just take them off for you." Dean gives Cas one of his infamous "Casanova Extraordinaire" faces. Even in his inebriated state, Dean swears he saw his angel blush. Cas takes off his trench coat and wraps it around a shivering Dean and lifts him up off the wet cold sidewalk. He wraps one arm around Dean's waist and uses the other to rest the wasted man's arm around his shoulder. Castiel walks a silent, droopy-eyed Dean back to the hotel with minimal complications.

That is, until they reach the glowing bright purple sign reading, "The Prince Murat Motel." Dean stopped walking and tried to stand upright. He furrows his brow and barks, "WHO THE FUCK IS PRINCE MURAT? Is he prince of motels? WHO ARE YOU, PRINCE MURAT?" Cas drags him all the way to the door and unlocks it; Dean resisting and swearing like a child throwing a tantrum.

Cas sets Dean down into the bath tub and the luke-warm water showers on Deans face. The struggle ensues to the extent Cas has to climb in behind Dean and hold him down. The resistance slowly subsides and Cas realizes it's been replaced by tears. Cas leans them both forward and cuts off the water and reaches for a towel. He delicately removes Dean's shirt and pants leaving him only in his boxers. He drapes the towel around Dean and carries him to bed. Cas lays him down on the bed, Dean refusing to make eye contact.

Cas pulls the sheets over Dean and turns only to have Dean pull him back and breathe weakly into his ear, "Don't leave me, Cas. I need you to stay with me, please. I can't be alone tonight." Dean's face fell as Cas walked to the bathroom and shut the door without saying a word.

The two minutes Cas spent in the bathroom felt like an eternity to Dean, but Cas came out in dry clothes and silently crawled into bed with him. Dean reaches wearily to hold Cas' hand under the covers, terrified he will pull away, but Cas doesn't and Dean curls into him and places his head on his chest and dimly says, "Thank you, Cas, for everything."

Dean starts drifting after a long silence and hears Cas whisper, "No, thank you Dean." Dean is out of consciousness before he could hear Cas add, "I'm so sorry."


End file.
